Electoral Systems - Referendums

Question 1

What are referendums?

How are they used in the UK?

Answer 1

They are a form of direct democracy, held to determine a specific political question. They are unlike elections which focus on more general issues and are centred around electing representatives.

It is usually a Yes No question.

Question 2

Features of referendums

Answer 2

1. Referendums vote on singular issues rather than a wide range of issues.
2. The government calls a referendum when they wish whereas elections are set at intervals because of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011.
3. Referendum results are not legally binding whereas election results are.
4. Referendums are an example of direct democracy whereas Elections are an example of representative democracy.

Question 3

Referendums in the UK

Answer 3

Unlike other countries such as Ireland, referendums are not constitutional requirements - parliament + the government do not have to implement the referendum result

This is unthinkable however, because even the most pro-EU politicians accepted the referendum result.

They tend to be centred around constitutional changes such as devolution power and the peace agreements.

Question 4

How did referendums develop in the UK?

Answer 4

The UK’s first referendum was held in 1975 on the question on whether to remain in the Common Market.

Churchill proposed a referendum in 1910 on female suffrage but only men were able to vote on this.

Traditionally, they are considered a tool that dictators use to undermine parliamentary majority.

There have been 3 national referendums and 10 within Scotland, Wales, NI and individual English regions.

Question 5

1975 UK Referendum

Remaining in the EEC

Answer 5

68% yes
turnout 63%

Held on whether to remain in the Common Market because Harold Wilson couldn’t achieve agreement within his Cabinet on the issue.

First UK-wide referendum. Harold Wilson’s pamphlet read ‘the Government will accept YOUR verdict’

Question 6

1997 Scotland

Creating a Scottish Parliament with tax-varying powers

Answer 6

Labour 1997 Manifesto was committed to giving Scotland AND Wales a referendum over further devolution powers given to them.

Yes vote won and so the Scottish Parliament was created and the National Assembly of Wales was created.

Intended to quell the rising appeal of the SNP and Plaid Cymru.

Question 7

1997 Wales

Welsh Parliament

Answer 7

very SLIM

turnout of 50.1%
50.03% voted for a Welsh Parliament.

Wales = labour stronghold. Intended to quell the rising appeal for the SNP and Plaid Cymru.

Question 8

1998 Northern Ireland

GFA

Answer 8

81% turnout
71.1% yes

This was held as part of the Northern Ireland Peace Process.

Question 9

2011 UK

replacing FPTP with AV

Answer 9

42.2% turnout, 68% voted in favour for the FPTP.

Held due to the coalition agreement between the Cons and Lib Dems.

Question 10

2014 Scottish Independence Referendum

Answer 10

Held due to pressure from the Scottish Government - because of differential policy, 16-17 year olds were allowed to vote.

85% turnout

45% yes 55% said no

Question 11

2016 UK

Should I stay or should I go?

Answer 11

72% turnout

52% leave 48% remain

Held because of the promise of the conservatives in the 2015 general election - David Cameron’s attempt to stop his party ‘banging on about Europe’

Question 12

WHY ARE THEY HELD?

Liberal doctrine

Answer 12

People must consent to the system of government to which they submit

Question 13

WHY ARE THEY HELD?

Constitutional change

Answer 13

affecting the whole country - Scottish Independence in 2014 was a devolution change which affected the UK as a whole.

Question 14

WHY ARE THEY HELD?

Approving changed to the way that different parts of the country are governed.

Answer 14

This settles disputes within communities - GFA 1998, offered significant opportunity for this as it united Sinn Fein and DUP in a multi-party government though there has been trouble since, it has been far less than prior to 1998 during the Troubles.

Question 15

WHY ARE THEY HELD

to settle disputes in the government

Answer 15

AV referendum 2011 happened because Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems joined the coalition on the condition that they would hold the AV referendum but failures on the AV campaign (chosen by Cameron because it was one of the more complex) meant that 68% of people voted against it.

Question 16

WHY ARE THEY HELD

Electoral reasons

Answer 16

David Cameron held the Brexit referendum in 2016 because he believed that the Brexit referendum would reiterate his successes and would diminish UKIP support by giving them what they wanted - Pre-Brexit polls suggested that 48% wanted to remain and 46% wanted to leave so UKIP success was unprecedented

Question 17

Why have they been used more in the last 25 years?

Constitutional change has been more prevalent

Answer 17

particularly under New Labour in 1997-2001, where by devolution was furthered in NI, Scotland and Wales.

It was also a condition of Lib Dem involvement in the coalition 2010-2015. The Devolution and AV Ref is evidence of this.

Question 18

Why have they been used more in the last 25 years?

Tools for party management - unite the party and stop other parties growing

Answer 18

Brexit!!! This was done to unite the party

2014 Scottish Referendum was meant to suppress SNP growth but it was counterproductive… SNP grew more successful.

Question 19

Why have they been used more in the last 25 years?

rise of the smaller parties

Answer 19

UKIP and Nationalist parties - to supress them e.g., IndyRef1 and Brexit 2014 and 2016.

Question 20

Why have they been used more in the last 25 years ?

There’s an appetite for them

Answer 20

Hansard Society’s Audit of Political Engagement recorded a market increase in levels of political interest and claimed political knowledge in Scotland following the independence referendum.

Question 21

Greater use of them?

Referendums provide a significant mandate the government may lack

BUT

Low turnouts are amplified

Answer 21

Turnout in the 2015 General election was 66.1% which is worryingly low

Only 50.1% of the Welsh electorate participated in the 1997 Welsh Assembly Referendum and the YES campaign only won by an extremely narrow majority of 50.3%

Question 22

Greater use of them?

Referendums are a form of pure democracy

BUT

They are expensive

Answer 22

2014 - Scottish Ref had a turnout of 84.5% which suggests that people are willing to participate when they feel their vote counts towards something. The last election with a turnout so high was in 1950.

They can cost up to £120 million. Voter fatigue is also common in the USA.

Question 23

Greater use of them?

You can’t really politically ignore a referendum result

BUT

Parliamentary sovereignty is undermined

Answer 23

Unless the public approved the decision, to say that they want to repeal devolved powers of Scotland, Welsh, and NI Assemblies, then it would be extremely unlikely. They offer a check.

Undermines representative democracy. They are expected to make informed decisions that are in the long-term national interest. They also blur accountability lines. 1978 California - approved constitutional amendment to cut property taxes, a decade later, passed a vote to increase spending on public schools which launched them into state debt.

Question 24

Greater use of them?

Referendums educate people on significant political issues.

BUT

Qs are often very ambiguous

Answer 24

Electoral Commission sent out information explaining how AV and FPTP worked. Media coverage meant that voters were exposed to a plethora of arguments.

2014 Scottish referendum - Would independent Scotland still use the £ and would it be a member of the EU?

Question 25

Greater use of them?

Referendums settle controversy much more efficiently than parliament alone

BUT

They do not stop opinions

Answer 25

NI’s GFA 1998 - high turnout of 81% and a decisive yes campaign which approved the agreement with 71%. Further, 1975 EEC referendum increased the legitimacy of our membership.

The EEC referendum did not stop Eurosceptics from campaigning to leave and the EU ref was held in 2016 June

Question 26

Greater use of them?

Electoral commission overlooks bias

BUT

The government essentially controls everything

Answer 26

Electoral Commission have a responsibility to monitor the Qs - 2013, Alex Salmond DO YOU AGREE THAT SCOTLAND SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY was changed because agree suggested positivity

The government controls timing and options on the ballot paper - FM Salmond wanted independence, Coalition did not.

Question 27

Greater use of them?

Financial issues are no longer an issue

BUT

Financial issues + bias within government can affect impartiality

Answer 27

Each campaign is given a grant of up to £600,000 and is also entitled to free postage of their campaign materials to each household.

2016 EU ref - LEAVE argued REMAIN was advantageous because the government and civil service supported remain. The civil service was banned from helping eurosceptic cabinet ministers with the activity of the Leave Campaign.